Admissions procedures for Physics at Oxford University Oxford Physics operates a centrally coordinated admissions process. The Department of Physics takes responsibility for the initial stages of the admissions process (1–4) and helps coordinate the later stages, but all interviews are performed in and by the colleges and all final decisions on admissions are made by colleges.

1. Applications Applications to read Physics at Oxford are made in the same way as applications for any other undergraduate degree at Oxford, with the exception of arrangements for the written aptitude tests. All applicants are required to take these tests. Individual applicants are asked to fill in a test centre declaration form which is available in the Oxford Admissions pack and from the University website; this is not necessary for candidates applying through UK schools registered with UCAS. The aptitude tests comprise two one-hour papers, one in physics and one in mathematics, set on the same day as the BMAT test in late October or early November. Papers may be taken in candidates’ schools, or in other suitable test centres. There is no charge for these tests. Papers are posted to the contact name on the test centre declaration form, with a likely delivery time 48 hours before the tests. Where test papers do not arrive on time there are procedures to provide additional copies. An instruction sheet and return label is included with each test pack. Tests are returned to the department and marked centrally. Further details, including syllabuses, sample papers, and reports on previous tests are available on the department website at http://www.physics.ox.ac.uk.

2. Short-listing Due to the high number of applicants per place (approximately 4 to 1 in 2006) Oxford Physics has introduced a short-listing process to reduce the number of candidates to around 2.5 per place. The primary short-listing criterion is performance on the aptitude tests, judged by the combined mark. The mathematics aptitude test has been used by Oxford Physics for many years, and the physics aptitude test has been piloted for several years; both tests are known to be good predictors of future success at Oxford, and in particular are better predictors than information such as GCSE results. In 2006 the cut-off mark was a combined score of 45%. A small number of additional candidates may be added to this list, either because their test scores may not reflect their true ability (such as candidates with medical certificates) or because their application materials show other quite exceptional evidence of excellence, such as 9 or more A* grades at GCSE.

3. Reallocation Reallocation, that is reassigning candidates from more popular to less popular colleges, has been practised by Oxford Physics for many years but has now been formalised as part of the short-listing process. It is carried out after short-listing to ensure that the number of candidates per place is as far as possible the same across the collegiate university.

4. Assignment of second colleges All short-listed candidates are assigned to a second college, which is responsible for providing a second opinion based on one or more interviews. This second college is chosen at random.

5. Interview(s) at first college Candidates are interviewed at their first college on Sunday and Monday of the interview week. In most cases colleges will provide two separate interviews, each marked out of 10, although in some cases colleges may combine these two interviews or give three interviews. Interviews are essentially academic in nature, and will largely concentrate on discussions of topics in physics and mathematics.

6. Interview(s) at second college Candidates are interviewed at their second college on Tuesday of the interview week. In most cases colleges will provide one interview marked out of 10, although in some cases colleges may give two interviews. Interviews are essentially academic in nature, and will largely concentrate on discussions of topics in physics and mathematics.

7. Post-interview scoring and banding At the end of the interview process each candidate is assigned a total score calculated from the test scores and interview scores, with the two components given equal weight. This score is used to rank all applicants, but as the score does not incorporate all relevant information (such as examination results, references, and personal statements) this rank is not used directly as an admissions criterion. It is, however, used to place all candidates in 3 bands: A, the top 100 or so candidates, who will normally be offered a place; B, the next 200 or so candidates, who might be offered a place; C, remaining candidates, who will not normally be offered a place.

8. Final decisions Final decisions are made by the colleges and confirmed in a joint meeting of all college physics tutors. All decisions not to offer a place to band A candidates, or to offer a place to band C candidates, must be approved by this meeting. The departmental team coordinates the decision process to ensure that strong candidates are not overlooked.

9. Open (pool) offers Each year a small number of candidates decline their offer, or accept their offer and then fail to achieve their offer conditions, and so it is necessary to make a small number of additional offers so that these vacancies can be filled. Due to the small number of places at individual colleges these offers are made by the department, with no college specified. These open offers, sometimes known as pool places, guarantee a place at Oxford, but the college will not be determined until the admissions process is completed in August.

10. Standard offers Oxford Physics has a standard offer at A level of AAA including physics and maths. Offers may include further conditions, such as the subject of the third A grade, but do not usually include a fourth A level or AEA results. Our standard IB offer is 38 points (including core points) with 7 at higher level physics and higher level maths. Offers for candidates studying under other examination systems are set at a level broadly comparable to the IB offer.

11. Overseas and mature candidates Oxford Physics welcomes applications from all sources, including overseas and mature applicants. All applicants are required to take the aptitude tests. Information on past and predicted examination results is interpreted in the light of guidance from the central admissions office. Short-listed candidates from Europe will normally be invited for interview in Oxford. Candidates from more distant countries may be interviewed by members of the Oxford overseas interview teams. Telephone interviews are also arranged where possible.

12. Deferred offers Candidates applying for deferred offers are treated in the same way as those seeking direct entry, except that the assessment will include consideration of other relevant factors such as plans for the year out. Candidates in band A need not necessarily be offered a deferred place.

13. Physics and Philosophy Applicants for the joint school of physics and philosophy are assessed for their suitability to study physics in very much the same way as applicants for the single honours physics course. Their suitability to study philosophy is also assessed through additional interviews and submitted written work. Significant differences include: a) Applicants are required to submit samples of written work with their application. b) Applicants who pass the physics short-listing threshold may not be short-listed if their written work is of insufficient quality. c) As many colleges do not offer physics and philosophy applicants are only reallocated to colleges which do. d) The first college will also provide one or more interviews in philosophy. The second college may also provide further interviews in philosophy. e) After interview physics and philosophy candidates are banded by the physics department as if they were physics candidates, ignoring the results of philosophy interviews. Thus physics and philosophy candidates placed by physics in band A will not receive an offer unless their philosophy marks are also of sufficient quality. f) Open offers are not made in physics and philosophy. Applicants for physics and philosophy may also nominate physics as a second choice course, and will be considered for both courses at the same time. If a candidate is considered suitable for both courses, then only an offer for physics and philosophy will be made.

14. Materials Science Applicants for physics may also nominate materials science as a second choice course. The two applications will be considered separately, and so candidates may be short-listed for either course, both courses, or neither course. If a candidate is considered suitable for both courses, then only an offer for physics will be made.

15. Monitoring At the end of each admissions round the process is assessed to determine how it can be improved in subsequent years. Data is collected on the different indicators used, and is subsequently compared with the results obtained by successful applicants in university examinations.

16. Complaints Applicants who wish to complain about any aspect of the application process should write to the Tutor for Admissions at the college handling their application. If an applicant has been reallocated then they should write to the college they have been reallocated to. Where the complaint includes matters handled by the department, or by a second college, the handling college will refer enquiries to the appropriate authorities. If a complaint is upheld this will not necessarily alter the final decision on the offer of a place. In the event that the final decision is changed it is not usually possible to offer the applicant a place for the coming year, and a deferred place for the following year may be offered instead. In the same way, candidates who do not achieve their offer conditions, but who subsequently have this decision overturned on appeal, may be offered a deferred place.

Frequently Asked Questions about Oxford Physics This document is derived from our online list of Frequently Asked Questions. Please note that the online version is usually more up to date, and is significantly more useful as it contains links to many other resources. While this printable version is a handy summary it is no substitute for the real thing, which is available at http://www.physics.ox.ac.uk/admissions/faq.htm

Which College should I apply to? The choice of college is probably seen as a much more important problem outside Oxford than it is inside. One view is given in The Oxford Handbook written by the Oxford University Students Union. The University Undergraduate Prospectus also has some advice on choosing a college in its introduction to colleges section. The important thing is to get here. If you are undecided which college to choose, make an “open application” and let the Admissions Office computer choose for you. After all, the physics lectures, practicals and projects take place in the Department of Physics, and are the same for all students, regardless of college. The admissions process is explicitly designed to ensure that the choice of college has as little effect as possible on the chance of being accepted. One aspect of this is that candidates are occasionally reallocated from the college they initially chose (or were assigned to) to a different college. Another consequence is that candidates may receive offers from a college different from the one handling their application, or an Open Offer with no college specified.

What is the reallocation process? A key aim of the admissions procedure for Oxford Physics is that an applicant’s chance of obtaining a place should as far as possible be independent of the college handling the application, whether the candidate applied to a particular college or made an open application. To assist with this, candidates may be reallocated from the college initially handling their application to another college where the ratio of applicants to places is lower, so as to ensure that this ratio is as constant as possible across the university. Reallocation occurs after results from the entrance tests are known and the short list of candidates for interview has been drawn up. You may, therefore, be invited to interview at a different college from that which initially handled your application. All your application materials will automatically be transferred to the new college, and there is no need to send anything further unless the new college specifically requests you to do so. Candidates for reallocation are selected at random, and are treated in exactly the same way at interview as other candidates.

What are the new admissions tests? Oxford Physics has used an admissions test in mathematics for many years. Originally this test was sat during the admissions period. From 2006 this test will be replaced by two new admissions tests, one in physics and one in mathematics, which will be sat before the interview period, during the first week of November, and which will be used to draw up a short list of candidates who will be invited to interview. Specimen papers for both tests are available, as is an outline syllabus. The syllabus is specifically designed so that most UK candidates should be able to sit these tests without special preparation. Each test will take 1 hour.

Where will the tests be taken? The tests must be taken in an appropriate centre, normally the applicant's school.

When will the tests be taken? In 2006 the tests were taken on Wednesday 1st November, the same day as the Oxford History Aptitude Test (Oxford HAT) and the BioMedical Admissions Test (BMAT). The 2007 tests are tentatively scheduled for Wednesday 31st October together with the 2007 BMAT and other Oxford Aptitude Tests. Test papers will be posted to centres about one week before this date. If papers have not been received by the day before the tests then copies can be sent electronically or by FAX.

What forms do I have to fill in? In addition to the normal UCAS and Oxford Application Forms, individual applicants should also fill in a Test Centre Declaration Form, and arrange for this to be returned to the Oxford Colleges Admissions Office. Copies of this form are included in the Oxford Application Form Pack which is available at the University web site. Candidates applying through UK schools registered with UCAS do not need to complete this form, but should ensure that their schools are aware of the tests.

Is there a fee for the new admissions tests? There is no special fee charged for the Physics admissions tests, but all applicants are required to pay the normal fees to UCAS and the Oxford Colleges Admissions Office.

What is the syllabus for the new admissions tests? The syllabus is available on the web. Candidates who have studied physics and mathematics at GCSE and AS level should already be familiar with the great majority of the syllabus.

Are sample papers available? Sample papers are available on the web at both the Physics and University web sites, and from the Oxford Colleges Admissions Office (all three versions are identical). Past papers will be posted on the Physics web page as they become available. Sample and past papers dated before May 2006 were set using a different syllabus and are no longer relevant.

What is the pass mark for the tests? There is no pass mark as such for the admissions tests, but there will be a threshold mark, below which it is unlikely that candidates will be placed on the interview shortlist. This mark will not be determined until the results of the tests are available. However, based on experience with previous tests we expect that the threshold mark will be around 50%.

How should I prepare for the admissions process? The admissions process for Oxford Physics is designed so that most UK candidates will not need to undertake any special preparation. You should, however, ensure that you are completely familiar with all the physics and mathematics you have learnt at school. During the admissions process you will be expected to demonstrate not only that you are familiar with all the material you have been taught, but also that you are able to use this material in an unfamiliar context. In particular a key skill required in the Oxford Physics course is the ability to apply mathematical ideas in a physical context.

Admissions interviews for Oxford Physics are purely academic in nature, and you are likely to spend the great majority of your time talking about physics or mathematics, rather than about any wider interests you may have mentioned on your application form. Interviewers may, however, choose to ask you about specific topics you have mentioned on your form, and it is wise to ensure that you are familiar with any topics you have mentioned. Detailed advice about preparation for interviews can be found in the leaflet Interviews at Oxford; printed copies are available from the Oxford Colleges Admissions Office and it is also available on the University web site.

Do I need one or two maths A-levels? We welcome candidates with either “single” or “double” maths A-levels. But it’s very important to appreciate that the Oxford Physics course does contain lots of maths. This means that A-level Maths (or its equivalent) is essential for entry. Further Maths, at either AS or A2-level, is desirable, but it is not a requirement. What matters is that you should be good at maths, and enjoy the prospect of applying it to physical problems and working out the answers. This is equally true for the joint course in Physics and Philosophy, which contains at least as much maths as the Physics course. Our “standard”maths courses in the first term do not assume knowledge of Further Maths material, but they cover the relevant bits very quickly before getting on to the new stuff. Even those who have done A2 Further Maths will find that they are learning new maths after only a few weeks at Oxford.

I don’t have A-levels, so can I still apply? We welcome applications from candidates with a wide range of qualifications, including Scottish and Irish Highers, the International Baccalaureate, and many national qualifications. You will still need qualifications broadly equivalent to three full A-levels. Our standard offer for the IB is 38 points (including core points) with 7 at higher level physics and higher level maths. Offers for candidates studying under other examination systems are set at a level broadly comparable to the IB offer. Further details about typical grade requirements may be obtained from the Oxford Colleges Admissions Office or the University web site.

What about Mature Students? We welcome applications from Mature Students. Further details can be found on the University web site.

How do I apply to do a second BA? Applicants for a second undergraduate degree are treated in exactly the same way as those for a first undergraduate degree except that they are required to submit certain additional materials. Further details can be found on the University web site. All second BA applicants are required to take the admissions tests. Please note that some colleges do not accept applications for second BA students in Physics; further details can be found in the information pack on the University web site. Successful applicants may be granted Senior Status, that is exemption from the first year course and examinations, but decisions on this are made by individual colleges and may require additional information to be provided.

Can I take a year out? Opinions vary on this issue, and depend on your plans. Sponsorship schemes offering a year’s work experience in a physics-related field may be excellent, but some activities are less useful. An athlete

who does not train for a year will be pretty rusty. Likewise a physics (or maths) student who does not use his or her brain for a year will also be pretty rusty and this is the danger of a gap year. The Institute of Physics publishes a booklet called Sponsorship and Work Placements for Physics Students which can be requested by email from [email protected] or by post from Education Department, The Institute of Physics, 76 Portland Place, London W1B 1NT telephone 020 7470 4800. The Year in Industry programme, which has contacts with over 300 companies, may also be able to assist with suitable activities for a gap year. Some of the activities we hear suggested for the gap year could be done during the long vacation between the first and second years. Or you may like to consider taking a gap year after your degree.

Can I apply for both Physics and Philosophy and Physics? From 2007 candidates who apply for Physics and Philosophy may also name Physics as a second choice. Such candidates will be considered for both courses at the same time. If a candidate is considered suitable for both courses, then only an offer for Physics and Philosophy will be made. See the prospectus for more details.

What about Materials Science and Geology/Earth Sciences? Candidates who name Physics as their first choice subject may name either Geology/Earth Sciences or Materials Science as a second choice. See the prospectus for more details.

What is an Open Offer? Every year a small number of candidates for Oxford Physics receive an Open Offer, sometimes called a Pool Place Offer. This is an offer of a place to study physics at the university, but without a college being specified. Recipients of open offers are guaranteed a place at some college, but which college this is will not be determined until after the A-level results are published in mid August. Each year a small number of candidates fail to meet the conditions of their offer, or withdraw for other reasons, and the vacancies arising from this are filled by candidates holding Open Offers. Every Open Offer is underwritten by a particular college, and in the unlikely event of a vacancy not arising a place will be made available at the underwriting college. Open Offers are not made for places in Physics and Philosophy. However, candidates applying for Physics and Philosophy may receive an Open Offer for a place in Physics.

What are the fees for a physics degree? Information on fees and other expenses can be found on the University of Oxford Undergraduate Admissions web site. There is a section on Student Finance with information on Funding for Overseas Students and Classification of students for fees purposes.

What are the English language requirements? Candidates must have a high level of competence and fluency in English. Formal requirements can be found on the University web site.

Are there any grants or bursaries? Oxford University offers a wide range of grants and bursaries, details of which can be found at the University of Oxford Undergraduate Admissions web site. In addition to this the Department of

Physics offers additional IoP Physics Bursaries funded by the Institute of Physics. These bursaries are not intended as a substitute for other forms of financial support, and will be provided in addition to any other support which is offered. Our bursary criteria are designed to encourage students who do not traditionally choose to study Physics at university, and do not include explicit financial or academic criteria. Application forms for bursaries are sent to successful applicants after their place has been confirmed in August. In 2006 we will offer 14 bursaries, each of around £1000.

Oxford Physics or Cambridge Natural Sciences? If you are accepted for an Oxford Physics course, you will study physics right from the word go. We offer two undergraduate physics degree courses: a 3-year BA Honours and a 4-year MPhys. The basic principles of modern physics, their mathematical formulation and their applications are investigated in both courses. The first year (foundation) and second year (core physics) courses are the same for both the BA and the MPhys. In the third year, the core physics is applied to a number of new subjects, all of which are studied by MPhys students. BA students choose some of the third year subjects, and do a project. In each of years one, two and three, students on both courses choose additional subjects from a range of options. In the fourth year of the MPhys course, students study two or more areas of physics at an advanced level, and do a substantial project. If you do want the flexibility to choose non-physics subjects and perhaps to delay the decision about which is your main subject then Oxford Physics is not for you. The Natural Sciences course at Cambridge is perhaps more suitable.

If Oxford's terms are only 8 weeks long, do students only work a 24 week year? The short answer is no! It is very important to understand the role of “vacations” in the University year. At Oxford the teaching terms are shorter than at many other universities, adding up to only about 25 weeks in one year. Vacations have to include holiday time, and everyone recognises that for many students they also have to include money-earning time. Nevertheless, it is absolutely essential that students set aside significant amounts of time during each vacation for academic work. The course assumes that this will be done. Students must go over their lecture notes, revising the material and supplementing it by information gained from tutorials and from their own reading. And in addition to consolidating the previous term’s work, the student should try to prepare for the next term’s courses. Tutors will set work to be done in the vacation, and to ensure it is done, they often set a test called a collection at the start of the next term. Collection results are for the benefit of student and tutor only, and are not fed into any University degree classification. Good collection results may be rewarded with a prize, typically £20-£50 to spend on books. Some students perform vacation projects during their second year and this can contribute to their practical work requirement for Finals.

What is the typical weekly workload? Prelims (1st year): 10 hours lectures; 6 hours in the lab, followed by 3 hours writing up which will drop to, perhaps, 1 hour by the end of the year; 1 physics tutorial; 1 maths tutorial. (Each tutorial will require about 10+ hours work.) Part A (2nd year): 8 hours lectures; 6 hours in the lab, followed by 1 hour writing up; 2 tutorials usually physics but maths when required. Part B and part C workloads vary depending on the options chosen, although the first part of the third year is very similar to the second year. Hilary term of the fourth year (MPhys) is spent doing a project, and also work on two major options.

Most of the workload above is unsupervised so it is up to the student to organize her or his time effectively. Those who have developed this discipline at school will have a considerable advantage. There are many attractions competing for students’ time at Oxford. Whilst a broad range of interests outside physics is welcomed and encouraged, some leisure activities may prove incompatible with the physics courses.

How much practical work is there? Students spend about one day per week in the laboratory plus more time writing up what they have done. The time spent writing up gets shorter as students become more proficient, and really wellorganized students may be able to reduce the lab time as well. In the second and third year, students may choose to exchange some practical work for special options papers in Part A and B of Finals. Satisfactory performance in practical work is a requirement of both Prelims and Finals. There is a huge range of practical work available - about 150 prescribed investigations in addition to Part C project work and possible vacation placements within research groups and elsewhere. Students who put the most in get the most out.

How much computing is there? In the first year you are required to complete a short computing course. During this course you will learn first how to use the computer system and the elements of a programming language such as C, and you will then use this knowledge to solve physics based problems. There are also extended programming practicals in both of the first two terms. You will be required to word-process your final year project report. These two requirements are the only compulsory computing parts of the physics courses. Increasingly, mathematical modelling programs like Maple are being integrated into the taught courses. We have a network of iMac computers served by an Apple Xserve. The computers run Mac OS X which is a UNIX based operating system. Students find it powerful and easy to use regardless of previous experience (or lack of it). The system is available 24/7 via the University Network. Students typically use computers to control experiments and gather data, to analyse and plot data, to access libraries etc. to gather information, to do word processing, for e-mail (every student has a University e-mail account), for web browsing and even playing games. Enthusiasts can do practicals or projects where computers are used to model and investigate physical phenomena such as chaos or ferromagnetism. Computers are also used for administration. Experiments are booked and records of completed practical work are kept on computer. Notices are distributed electronically and regular checking of email is essential.

What maths should I know on arrival? Our “standard” maths courses in the first term do not assume knowledge of Further Maths material, but they cover the relevant bits very quickly before getting on to the new stuff. A detailed list of what we do assume is available on the web. Even those who have done Further Maths will find that they are learning new maths after only a few weeks at Oxford. It’s important to stress, though, that the maths isn’t being studied for its own sake, but because it will be needed in the physics course. This combination of maths and physics is a challenge for most students: it’s different from A-level, where knowledge of A-level maths is not required to do A-level physics. In the Oxford course, you’ll meet this mixture of maths and physics right at the beginning, in the first term’s mechanics course.

Almost half your time in the first year will be spent on maths. After that, there is a bit more maths in the core material for the Part A examination, and you can choose more, or less, mathematical options e.g. a theoretical physics option instead of some practicals.

Can I do astronomy? You can choose to take a short option in Astrophysics in Prelims or in Part A in the second year. Astrophysics is an integral part of the Part B course, and forms half of one of the Part B exam papers. Astrophysics is also available as a major option in Part C of the 4-year MPhys course.

How easy is it to change courses or even subjects? The two physics courses (BA and MPhys) are identical for the first 2 years (6 terms). It is easy to change between them immediately after the Part A exam although funding agencies may view the change to a 4 year degree much less favourably than a change from a 4 to a 3-year degree. With the exceptions of changing to Earth Sciences or Materials Science at the end of the first year, changing between subjects is possible but not easy. You need to be qualified to take your new course so the change between closely related subjects, e.g. physics and engineering science, is much less difficult than between unrelated subjects, but no changes are easy. It would be something you would discuss with tutors from both courses and it would have to be acceptable to all concerned. There may be added complications with funding agencies if you have to repeat a year. LEAs permit a change of course (even from a 3 year course to a 4 year course) up until the end of the 4th term after entry i.e. Michaelmas Term of the second year. Thereafter 4 to 3 is easy but 3 to 4 is probably not.

Do Prelims Exams results count in Finals? Physicists at Oxford take two sets of exams. The first, called Prelims, is taken at the end of the first year (after 3 terms). The second called Finals is taken in two or three parts. Part A is taken at the end of the summer term of the second year (after another 3 terms). 3-year BA students and 4-year MPhys students take Part B at the end of their third year. Students pursuing a 4-year MPhys course also take Part C after 3 more terms at the end of their fourth year. Published Prelims results are not classified although tutors are given quality marks. Students are required to pass Prelims in order to continue their courses. (Colleges may award scholarships or prizes for good performance in Prelims.) There is an opportunity to retake any failed papers at the end of the summer vacation but a repeat failure is usually final in the sense that you will have to transfer to another university! Prelims results do not contribute in any way towards Finals. The published Finals Part A and B results are not separately classified although again tutors are given quality marks, and the results of Part A are used to determine eligibility for the 4 year course. Students taking the 3-year BA will receive a classified degree after Part B. For MPhys students, when the Finals Part C examination has been taken, the combined results of Part A, Part B and Part C are published with classifications.

How do College, Department and University fit together? Briefly, you are offered a place by a college and the college is where you will eat, sleep, play and work under the guidance of your college tutors. Lectures and practicals are provided by the Department. The University arranges the exams and gives you a degree.

Syllabus for entrance test in physics Mechanics: distance, velocity, speed, acceleration, and the relationships between them. Interpretation of graphs. Response to forces; Newton’s laws of motion; weight and mass; addition of forces; circular motion. Friction, air resistance, and terminal velocity. Levers, pulleys and other elementary machines. Springs and Hooke’s law. Kinetic and potential energy and their inter-conversion; other forms of energy; conservation of energy; power and work. Waves and optics: longitudinal and transverse waves; amplitude, frequency, period, wavelength and speed, and the relationships between them. Basic properties of the electromagnetic spectrum. Reflection at plane mirrors. Refraction and elementary properties of prisms and lenses including total internal reflection (mathematical treatment not required). Elementary understanding of interference and diffraction (mathematical treatment not required). Electricity and magnetism: current, voltage (potential difference), charge, resistance; relationships between them and links to energy and power. Elementary circuits including batteries, wires, resistors, filament lamps, diodes, capacitors, light dependent resistors and thermistors; series and parallel circuits. Elementary electrostatic forces and magnetism (mathematical treatment not required). Links between electricity and magnetism; electromagnets, motors, generators and transformers. Current as a flow of electrons; thermionic emission and energy of accelerated electron beams. Natural world: atomic and nuclear structure; properties of alpha, beta and gamma radiation; half lives. Nuclear fission. Structure of the solar system. Phases of the moon and eclipses. Elementary treatment of circular orbits under gravity including orbital speed, radius, period, centripetal acceleration, and gravitational centripetal force. Satellites; geostationary and polar orbits. Elementary properties of solids, liquids and gases including responses to pressure and temperature. Mathematics: knowledge of elementary mathematics will be assumed. Questions may require the manipulation of mathematical expressions in a physical context. Problem solving: problems may be set which require problem solving based on information provided rather than knowledge about a topic. Calculators and tables: any calculator may be used; no tables may be used. Relationship to existing UK qualifications: Candidates who have studied physics at Higher Tier GCSE or AS level should be familiar with the great majority of the syllabus.

Syllabus for entrance test in mathematics for physics Elementary mathematics: knowledge of elementary mathematics, in particular topics in arithmetic, geometry including coordinate geometry, and probability, will be assumed. Algebra: properties of polynomials, including the solution of quadratics. Graph sketching and transformations of variables. Inequalities and their solution. Elementary trigonometry including relationships between sin, cos and tan (sum and difference formulae will be stated if required). Properties of logarithms and exponentials. Arithmetic and geometric progressions and the binomial expansion. Calculus: differentiation and integration of polynomials including fractional and negative powers (but not integration of 1/x). Differentiation as finding the slope of a curve, and the location of maxima, minima and points of inflection. Integration as the reverse of differentiation and as finding the area under a curve. Simplifying integrals by symmetry arguments. Physics: knowledge of elementary physics will be assumed. Questions may require the manipulation of mathematical expressions in a physical context. Calculators and tables: no calculators or tables may be used. Relationship to existing UK qualifications: Candidates who have studied mathematics at GCSE and AS level should be familiar with the great majority of the syllabus.